Improvement in thermoscopic lubricators



y E. D. TYNE. THERMoscoPic- -LUBn1cAToR- Patented. Aug.1,1876.

I nventor' Mtnesses @915% N. PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGUNy D. (L

STATES IMPROVEMENT IN THERMOSCOPIC LUBRICATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,505, dated August 1, 1876; application filed April 3, 1876.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMOND D. TYNE, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented an Improved Thermoscopic Lubricator.; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sucient to enable an yperson skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improved safetylubricator for supplying oil to the friction-surfaces of machinery, its object being to entirely obviate the trouble heretofore experienced with hot journals.

My improved oil-cup consists of a cup for containing the lubricant and a tube which connects vthe oil-chamber in the cup with the passage which vconveys the'oil to the journal. The tube is provided with a novel arrangement of valves and a regulating-screw by which the device can be adjusted to feed the oil slowly and regularly to the surfaces to be lubricated. p

It also consists in the combination of a thermoscope of peculiar construction with the Y spindle or oil-tube of the lubricator, by which any increase of temperature will cause the thermoscope to expand and open the valves in the oil-spindle or tube,and thus supply a sufficient quantity of oil to relieve the friction and reduce the temperature.

It further consists in the combination of the circuit-wires of an electrical signal device with the oil-cup and its base in sucha manner that when the frictional surfaces generate sutlicient heat to expand the thermoscope to -a certain extent, (which extent is adjustable,) metallic connection is completed between the two wires, and the circuit completed, so as to allow the electrical current to pass, and thus sound a nal or alarm. The thermoscope is itself a novelty and a great improvement in that class of devices, and it can be used wherever it may be-desir' able or necessary to indicate a temperature above t-he volatilizing-pointof the liquid which is used in the device.

Referring by letter to the drawing, A represents a cup, which may be of metal, glass, 0r other material, for containing oil. The

a screw-nut, c, arranged to work upon the Y vstem b2, and compress the cup tightly upon packing-rings b3. The main tube or casing d of the valves for regulating the low of oil from theoil-cup for lubricating purposes is provided with orices fg, and an opening at its lower end, said orilicef being for the inflow, and the two latter for the overliow, ot' oil, and it is arranged to screw into the hollow'support b, so that the inow orifice or passage fshall open into the oil-cup, and the outtlow oriiee g, and open end ot' tube d, below, or into a chamber formed in the base of' the support.

'Ihe valves li t', for regulating such flow of oil, may be either cone-shaped or, as represented in the drawing, have the bevel upon one side' only. These valves are arranged upon a conimon valve-rod, j.

The upper valve h is adj ustably secured upon a screw-threaded portion of .the rod j, and with its bevel sloping downward, so that communication with the oil-cup through .orifice f' will be established only when said valve is raised and its beveled surface brought on a level with the opening.

The valve q is secured to the lower end ot the valve-rod, and is arranged within the lower end of the tube d, so that a portion of its beveled surface, which slopes reversely to that of the upper valve, shall project below the mouth of the tube, and a passage be established which shall be closed only when the valve is raised. will be open while the upper valve is closed, and vice versa, the oriice g above said lower valve being at all times free for the overflow. In order to prevent `the upper valve h. from rotating upon its screw-stem while the latterl is being turned in in either direction to vary the projecting length ot' the lower valve t' below the valve-tube, I have, in this instance, provided it with a pin, h, arranged towork in a longitutlinul slot, k, formed in the valve-tube. This, however, may be dispensed with.

The valve-stein j is centered by means of a sleeve, Z, which screws into the upper end ot' the valve-tube, and which serves to regulate Fries; f

By this arrangement the lower valve y the power of a coiled spring, which abuts against the same and depresses the valves. Another useful feature oi' this sleeve is that the valve-rod may be raised and maintained in an elevated position by partially unscrewing the sleeve, whereby the upperI valve h may be kept open as long` as desired for a continuons ilow ot' oil from the oil cup.

rlhe devices thus i'ar described may be advantageousl y employed on lubricating journals and other machinery by raising the valve-rod from above until com m nnicaticn is established between the oil cup and chamber surrounding the lower end ot' the valve-tube through the said valve-tube and orilices f g therein, the Overiiow being at the latter point. After the valve-rod is released, and the upper valve closed, the lower valve will be opened, and a supply of oil, which has accumulated in the valve-tube above` the lower valve and below the oriiice g, will tlow out through said lower valve, and insure a sui'lcieut quantity for lubricating purposes. The above devices may be operated in this way, when occasion requires, with goed results, but a most important feature of my invention consists in automatically operating the stem j, either for opening` the valves or for establishing the circuit of an electric alarm or other alarm device, as hereinafter described, or both, by means otl a device, which is constructed to have the greatest amount ot' expansion when subjected to heat. This device, whichl will. designate a thermoscope, consists of a series of ilexible metallic chambers, m, communicating' and connected with each other by means ot' central stems, or equivalent connection, so that, collectively, they shall constitute a sort of expansive bellows, which are, however, after having` a very small quantity of alcohol, mercury,

ether, naphtha, or other volatile substance placed inside of them, hermetically sealed.

The quantity of the volatile substance contained within the thermos/:ope may be limited according to the power required, the vaporization oi' such liquid by heat producing all the desirable results presently referred to. The sides of these chambers, which are formed of flexible metal, will, when the chambers are not exposed to the action of heat, lie closely together, similarly to a closed bellows.

'lhe thermoscope is arranged under the lower end o'rorlj in any suitable way-as for instance, within a metallic case, a, which is provided with a central oil-passage through its base. Said case, which would otherwise be mounted upon the journal-box, may be dispensed with, and the thermoscope be secured directly within a chamber formed in said box. In such cases, should the journals and bear'- ings become too hot, and require lubricating, the thermoscope will be immediately affected by such heat, thereby causing the alcohol, ether, or other volatile substance, to vaporize and expand the exible sides of theseveral chambers, as shown in Fig. 2,the upper one of `which will, as it rises, strike against and raise with the alarm.

the rod or valve which projects below the main 'vinse-tube d, and consequently open the valves for au intlow and outiiow oi' oil through the orices f y, as hereinbel'ore explained, and such vtlow will continue so long as the thermoscope is kept in a heated and disteuded condition by the heat `from the journals.

Another important advantage arising from the arrangement ot' valves hereinbet'ore described is that il", during the overflow, while the upper valve. is open, the oil should cool the thermoscope before the journals are sut'iciently lubricated, the valve Ii, which will open upon the contraction ot' the expander, will allow the oil which has accumulated in the tube to ilow out, and consequently insure perfect lubrication. It' the expander should at any time continue in a heated and extended condition, and the supply of oil in the cup become fed out too rapidly through the open valve, the tube b may be raised or partially unscrewcd, whereby the ilow oi'oil may be regulated and lessened. v

Another important feature ct' this invention is that it affords a means for giving an alarm-signal either in case otl extreme heat ot' the machinery or of iire. To this end I connect a ground-wire, n', with the lower part ot' the device, and to a cap,o,a wire connecting rlhe cap, in this instance, is mounted upon a glass cup, and is consequently insulated, so when the rod j rises by the action ot' the expander, it will strike against, and forni metallic connection with, a set-screw,p, which is arranged to work through said cap.` This screw may be adjusted correspondingly with the temperature-at which it is desired the alarm shall be given, and in case the oil-cup is made of metal, it may be insulated.by any suitable non-conductor. ln place of this, however, a trigger or other device for sounding` an alarm may be employed.

My invention may be employed in lubricating the journals ot' cars, and for machinery of all descriptions, for governor or heat regulaters, for dampers, for lire or other alarms, or t'or openil'ig a faucet to allow a How of water in case or fire, and a consequent increased degree ci' temperature, the change in the operative parts being in every instance very slight.

rlhe number of chambers or compartments in the thermoscope may be multiplied at pleasure, so that its expansive power is only limited by the number ot'chambers employed and the quantity of volatile substance employed, varied according to the exhaustive power required.

It will also be observed that in this device the distance ot' the valve or lower end of the valve-rod from the thermoscope may be regulated by turning said rod in the screwsleeve, as hereinbetere set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. In a device for regulating the ow of oil from an oil-cup to the journals or machinery to be lubricated, the tube d, provided with inlet and outlet orifices fg, land also an opening at its loweren'd, in combination With the valves 7L t', secured upon rod j, substantially as described, and opera-tingin the manner set forth.

2. The screw'sleeve l, in combination with the rod j', valve h', and tube d, provided with inlet and outlet orifices, substantially as set forth.

3. rhe expansive bellows m, in combination with valve-rod j, carrying valves -for establishing the flow of oil, und operating within a. tube, provided with inlet and outlet orifices, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

EDMOND D. TYNE.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG, JNO. L. BOONE. 

